


Jorvik Theatre Company

by Burgie



Category: Star Stable Online
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-14
Updated: 2017-09-22
Packaged: 2018-12-29 19:18:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,277
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12091674
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Burgie/pseuds/Burgie
Summary: Update fic for the acting update. Takes place before SSO.





	1. Drama Queen

Jorvik Theatre Company had many actors and actresses, back in the day. All of them had their own private dressing rooms, but most of them would also socialise outside of work. Not Sabine, however. After putting on her performance, to much applause, she would return to her dressing room and close the door. Nobody was allowed entry. And, hearing the noises from within, nobody would come near. They were too afraid to, all of them knowing that Sabine could be quite angry when somebody interrupted her practice. But they did all wonder just who, exactly, Elise was. Or Nini, as she often spoke to these people in her dressing room.

Unknown to everyone, Sabine sat at her dresser, her fingers gently touching the small portrait that sat on her desk. It depicted a woman, her long red hair blowing in an ethereal breeze and her eyes blazing suns. Sabine smiled sadly at the picture.

"I miss you, my Nini," said Sabine, tears glimmering in her eyes. She wiped away a tear, although it wouldn't matter if it ruined her makeup. Her act was over now, and she wouldn't have another performance until tomorrow. But that wasn't the only reason she cared about her appearance in here.

The reason for her vanity and her early night was sitting in an armchair, eating flaky pastries while a plate of vegetables sat ignored on the floor.

"Rita, eat your veggies," said Sabine, trying to be stern but smiling instead.

"But mama, you didn't eat yours," said Rita, pouting as Sabine stood and took the plate away from her.

"That's because I'm practicing," said Sabine, putting the veggie plate on her daughter's knees. Rita sighed and chewed on a piece of broccoli. Sabine gave her daughter a fond smile and sat back in front of her dresser, picking up the picture of Nihili again.

"Mama, who is that lady?" asked Rita, and Sabine cringed as she heard the sound of a plate thudding onto the carpet. She turned, expecting a large mess, but saw only her daughter's big brown eyes looking up at her. The plate was, surprisingly, clean. Sabine smiled.

"She's your... stepmother, I suppose," said Sabine, feeling a rush of guilt. Lee had only been a part of her life for a few weeks before she'd discovered the truth, but she still felt guilty about it. Lee was Linda in this cycle, and she'd slept with him without even realising it. Even borne a child to him. Perhaps he'd known, with his power. But perhaps not. He'd certainly done a good job of acting surprised, when she'd pushed him into the lake. But he was an actor.

"Where is she?" asked Rita, reaching up to grab the picture. Sabine showed it to her.

"She's... missing," said Sabine, tears threatening to choke her. "She has been for years now."

"Don't cry, mama," said Rita, patting her leg. 

"It's okay, I'll just channel it into my acting," said Sabine. "I always do."

But it was so hard to look at Rita and at the woman who she'd loved so much. Lee had been a mistake, she knew that now, but... she'd enjoyed his company.

She'd first met Lee while acting. He was from Spain, and he made many women weak at the knees. Sabine hadn't been immune to his charms. He'd swept her off her feet, literally in the case of many of their plays. The kisses written into the script had never been fake. But maybe that was because their first performance together had been in a romance.

She had played a high-class lady who looked down on everyone, and he had played the dashing and handsome street cleaner. Their characters had fallen madly in love, and, outside the theatre, they had fallen madly in love, too. Lee had brought her flowers and pastries, and had taken her out to dinner many times. She'd taken him back to her apartment, and her dressing room, and to many of her favourite places. And he had taken her on rides around the countryside, where they'd eaten grapes and sipped on fine wine.

But then, Lee had said something strange.

"By Aideen, you look gorgeous in the moonlight," he'd murmured as they sat in a gondola on the River Seine. And Sabine's heart had stopped.

"What?" she'd asked, ice quickly replacing the warm fire of romance. Lee had picked up on her fear, and he'd shifted uncomfortably.

"Sorry, it just..." he'd trailed off. "It slipped out, Sabine."

"How do you know that name?" Sabine had asked, trying not to shake.

"I... you won't believe me if I tell you," Lee had said. "Or maybe you will..."

"How do you know that name, Lee?" Sabine had asked, ice leaking into her voice.

"I am one of the four," Lee had said, and Sabine had felt everything fall away. "One of the four riders who will defeat the forces of evil and save Jorvik."

"How?" Sabine had asked, her voice clear despite how much she was going through emotionally. She'd tamped it down, though. For the moment.

"What do you mean?" Lee had asked.

"How can you be one of the four?" Sabine had asked, trembling slightly now. "You're a male. A full male, I know that." The proof had been several nights in her bed or his bed, and on picnic blankets, and in her belly by that point. Oh, darkness. She'd felt sick, and not just from the morning sickness.

"I don't know," Lee had said. "Nor do the others. Lisa has suggested that perhaps the biological sex of the Soul Rider does not matter. Fripp and the druids were sceptical at first, but my bond with Meteor is proof." Sabine had shuddered, and stared coldly at him.

"Oh, Lee, you have made a terrible mistake," Sabine had said. "Do you know who I am?"

"You are Sabine, the greatest actress in France," Lee had said, trying to put an arm around her. Sabine had recoiled as though his touch were poison.

"Yes, I am a great actress," Sabine had said. "Hmm, such a great actress that nobody will suspect the crying widow."

"What?" Lee had asked, and then Sabine had pushed him.

He'd been stronger than her, given that she was pregnant and he worked out for ages trying to attain the perfect, enviable body. In the struggle, one of her earrings had fallen into the water, and the boat had almost overturned, but, finally, she'd found her magic and paralysed him before pushing him into the water.

Just like in her work, Sabine had channeled her real emotions into her act, making it believable. Many people had comforted and believed her, saying that it was such a pity that Lee had fallen out of the boat in his act of proposing, and they'd fussed over the bleeding ear from where he'd torn out her earring trying to grab onto her to keep himself out of the water. That it was so sad that he'd hit his head, and had been unconscious upon hitting the water.

Many women had even offered to help Sabine to raise her child, and she'd gladly accepted their help. Her head had been a mess.

As soon as Sabine had managed to excuse herself, she'd returned to her apartment. Fortunately, her neighbours had been part of the crowd, so nobody questioned her hysterical weeping into the night.

How had she been so stupid? He'd been her enemy, her greatest enemy, and she'd fallen for him. After giving Katja hell about Alex for centuries, she'd gone and done exactly the same damn thing. She'd been so stupid. So damn stupid. And now she was pregnant to him. Was it the fate of the Generals to keep reproducing with the Soul Riders? Was it her punishment for straying from Nihili, her one true love? But Nihili was dead, she had been for centuries. Well, banished to Pandoria, but that was pretty much the same as being dead.

And why had she been so upset? Had she actually fallen for him? He'd been very sweet, yes, but Sabine had been so sure that her heart had belonged to Nihili. That realisation had only made her sob harder.

Weeks had passed, and Sabine had moped about her apartment, being the diva that she prided herself on being. She'd become a social recluse, and the people had started begging for her to appear in plays again. Sabine had refused, surprised and disappointed to find herself genuinely upset. Maybe she had loved Lee. She'd been as soft as her sister, but maybe it had only been the pregnancy making her feel that way.

"Mama?" Rita asked now. Sabine picked up her daughter and held her in her lap, hugging her and burying her face in the hair so much like her own. She was ashamed to discover that tears had rolled down her cheeks, and not for Nihili.

"Sorry, baby, mama was just... thinking about your father," said Sabine, taking a deep breath and wiping away her tears. Black stained her fingers, and she made a mental note to wash her face and re-apply her makeup before she left her dressing room. She may be a mother, but that wasn't an excuse for looking homely.

"Where is papa?" asked Rita.

"There was an accident before you were born," said Sabine, the lie coming so easily to her. She closed her eyes, tears glueing her eyelashes together. "He fell out of a gondola and drowned."

"Do you miss daddy?" asked Rita. Sabine sighed and nodded.

"Yes, I do," said Sabine, even as it hurt to admit it. "But at least I have you to remember him by." She kissed the top of her daughter's head, and Rita giggled.

Sabine felt like she was back to normal when she arrived at the theatre the following morning. 

"Stay in here, baby," she told Rita, smiling as her daughter hugged her legs goodbye. "Mama has to work."

"Will you bring me back snacks?" asked Rita. Sabine laughed. She knew full well that many of the theatre staff brought in snacks for her daughter throughout the day.

"Of course I will, I don't want you to starve, now, do I?" said Sabine. Rita giggled as Sabine kissed her nose, leaving a lipstick smudge, and Sabine felt lighter than air when she left the dressing room.

But the feeling faded as soon as she got to the stage. There was a blonde woman standing on it, one with white skin and blue eyes. Sabine recognised her instantly, and wished that she'd done the same with Lee. That would have saved her so much pain and confusion.

"Ah, Madame Sabine, good morning," the director said, clapping his hands together in delight. "This is Madame-"

"Anne," Sabine finished, her heart beating slowly. 

"Ah, you have heard of her?" asked the director.

"Yes," said Sabine. "Yes, I have heard of her."

"Good, good! That saves time on the introductions, then," said the director. "I have composed a new play, one that I am sure you will both enjoy. It is about two sisters separated at birth, both are nobles but they are quarreling now over the same man. And over their inheritance."

"That sounds interesting," said Sabine, not taking her eyes off of the blonde woman. And Anne was staring at her, too, with the same murderous intensity.

"We will start immediately," said the director, handing Sabine her script. "Here is your script."

The two women practiced their lines, and their fights were real. In the grand finale, Sabine was to pick up a knife and drive it into Anne's chest. In the practice sessions, the knife was, of course, not a real one. But on opening night, the light gleamed off of a real metal knife. The blood that sprayed from Anne's chest was not fake, nor was her scream.

"Come on, baby, we're leaving," said Sabine when she returned to her dressing room.

"Mama?" asked Rita, looking up from her colouring in confusion.

"We are leaving to live somewhere else," said Sabine. "You'll like it, I promise."

"Okay," said Rita, standing up and putting her colouring away.

Sabine and Rita got the first train out of the country, and rode it until they came to the last stop. While Rita slept, Sabine closed her eyes and contacted the other Generals, informing them of what had been done. They were quite good at covering up mysterious deaths, so by the time it was discovered that Anne was dead and Sabine was missing, the two of them were long gone.

Sabine started a new life with her daughter in Jorvik. She was asked to help the Generals sacrifice the Soul Steeds, but Sabine found that she didn't want to. The horses were kept under close guard now that two of the Soul Riders were dead, and Sabine didn't want to risk death. She had a daughter to think of now, and she intended on raising her right. She admitted that she'd made a mistake in falling for Lee, so she wasn't punished. Not like Katja had been. And anyway, Rita was tested and found to not have any magic in her. She was just normal.

Rita grew up to become a dance teacher at Star Academy, and Sabine was proud to see her daughter go so far. Even when the next cycle began, and the Star showed up at the school. But Sabine did make it a point to make Linda's life as difficult as possible. She hated her for what she'd done, even if she hadn't been entirely responsible for her past incarnation. At least they were all girls this time.


	2. Shipping the Muses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Louisa helps Mel get Thalia's attention.

Mel stopped sweeping for a moment and sighed longingly, leaning on her broom while Thalia practiced some play that Louisa had never heard of before. Then again, she'd only ever heard of Shakespeare and some Virgil, so what did she know about plays? She did know that Thalia was putting on a pretty good performance, though. So good, in fact, that there was a thud and a clatter, and Louisa turned around in alarm to see Mel picking herself up off the floor.

"Nice one, Assistant Number 1!" Thalia called. "The floor won't get very clean that way!"

"Sorry, Thalia!" Mel meeped, picking the broom up, but she was smiling as she got back to her task.

"You just let her talk to you like that?" asked Louisa, frowning. Her job had been to set up the chairs, but, because there were only a dozen or so, that hadn't taken very long. She wanted to help out Mel, but there was only one broom. So she sat on a chair instead, watching Thalia practice and Mel sweep.

"She spoke to me, that's the main thing," said Mel. "She... noticed me." A blush turned her cheeks almost as pink as her hair, and Louisa smiled.

"Aww, does she know?" asked Louisa.

"No!" Mel squeaked, clutching the broom to her. "And she can never know! She'd only laugh at me, or she'd think that I'm only working in her theatre company to be close to her, which is kinda true but that's not the point, or-"

"Or she might give you a chance," said Louisa. "Maybe she can do method acting. Wait, no, that would be a bad outcome. But you never know, she might end up liking you back."

"Gosh, that is the dream, isn't it?" said Mel. "But why would the great Thalia ever like someone as lowly as me?"

"I ask myself that question every day with Lisa, but it works," said Louisa with a shrug. She stood up. "C'mon, let's go get some fresh air, maybe we can throw around some ideas."

"But Thalia asked me to stay here and sweep," said Mel, still clutching the broom.

"She'll understand," said Louisa. She walked closer to the stage, not the best at raising her voice even when she had to. "Hey, Thalia?"

"Yes, my little protege?" said Thalia, batting her eyelashes.

"I was wondering if maybe I should practice my lines in the park," said Louisa. "I mean, this room is nice and all, but surely a huge crowd wouldn't be able to fit in here?"

"Hmm, you're right," said Thalia. "I generally only use this stage for auditions, anyway. Take Assistant Number 2 with you, she always helps me run lines."

"Thank you," said Louisa, and Mel grinned and followed her out into the alley. She immediately coughed in the smoky air.

"I almost need a gas mask here," said Mel. "I wonder what Thalia would think of that."

"She'd probably think it was just another one of your random accessories," said Louisa, quickly walking out into the fresher air. Mel laughed and coughed again, but she could breathe easier once they were up the stairs.

"Well, if I'm going to be running the costume store, I should probably invest in one," said Mel. "Or just something to help me breathe easier. I've already set the shop up as close to the gates as I can." They both squinted a little in the sunlight when they came out into it, but Louisa quickly got her vision back.

"Maybe you can spend the money on taking Thalia out to a fancy restaurant," said Louisa. "I've heard what she thinks of cafes."

"Thalia's all about the theatre," said Mel. "And cafes are more laid-back."

"Do you know how she feels about the more theatrical food?" asked Louisa. "Like Heston?"

"Oh, you mean culinary theatre?" asked Mel. "I think she likes that. I mean, not that we go out for food very often, but sometimes she talks to me and she's mentioned that she likes it."

"Then maybe you could take her there?" Louisa suggested.

"I dunno, those places are kinda pricey," said Mel. "But I'll save up for it. It's worth it for her."

"That's the spirit," said Louisa, grinning at her. "Now that that's sorted, I'd like to get to know you a little better. What makes you tick?"

"Are you hitting on me?" asked Mel, leaning away from her.

"No, I have a girlfriend," said Louisa, gesturing towards the costume store where Lisa was perusing the wares. She picked up a moustache and held it under her nose, waggling her eyebrows at her girlfriend. Louisa blushed and walked into the park with Mel. "I just think that it might be easier to plan something for you two if I know more about you. You've been waxing poetic about Thalia, but I haven't heard much about you. Like, for example, why do you work with Thalia when she treats you like dirt?"

"That's what you ask? I thought you'd ask why I like her if she treats me like that," said Mel. "Most people do."

"I don't understand that but I know other couples just like that that work out fine, so I'm not gonna question it," said Louisa. "They're happy, at least. But seriously, why do you work with her?"

"Because I love theatre," said Mel. "Any kind, really. I started out with musicals because I have a pretty good singing voice. Not that Thalia's ever heard it, she always shoots down my suggestions unless they're in line with her plans. According to Thalia, musicals are trashy."

"I love musicals," said Louisa.

"I know, they're great," said Mel. "And all plays started out as musicals, at least they had songs in them, that's how they managed to get so much in them! But Thalia doesn't see it like that. She says it's degrading." She sighed, looking down sadly.

"Have you tried writing any?" asked Louisa. "Plays or musicals?"

"Yeah, Thalia inspires me," said Mel, taking her phone out of her pocket. "Here's one I've been working on, it's a tragedy. Both in genre and literally."

"Aw, c'mon, I'm sure it can't be that bad," said Louisa, taking Mel's phone and reading through the script. To her surprise, it was a completed play.

"It's pretty good, actually," said Louisa, handing it back once she'd finished reading.

"I know, it's short and it sucks and- wait, what? Really?" said Mel.

"Yeah," said Louisa. "I only read through it so quickly because I'm a fast reader. This will look great on stage."

"You're just saying that to be nice," said Mel, looking down at her feet again. "It's just something I've been working on in my spare time when I haven't been working for Thalia."

"That just makes it more impressive," said Louisa. "Though I can kinda see the inspiration. A girl who's being ignored by another girl, and who eventually dies for her love? Art imitating life. But hopefully not completely."

"Heh, nah, I just hope she gets the hint, y'know?" said Mel, curling a few strands of pink hair around her finger. "She probably won't, though. I love her to death, but she's kinda dense."

"I got that impression," said Louisa with a laugh. "Want to practice it? Since I said we'd be running lines anyway..."

"Are you sure?" asked Mel. "A great actress like you, wasting time on my little play?"

"I'm getting the feeling that you never showed your play to Thalia," said Louisa. "Did you?"

"Why should she waste time on it?" asked Mel, tapping her pointer fingers together.

"I'll show it to her when we finish practicing," said Louisa.

"No! You can't!" Mel cried. "I won't give you my phone." She tucked it into her bra, which Louisa laughed at.

"Come on, it can be your grand gesture," said Louisa. "Thalia loves those, right?"

"I've considered grand gestures, but if I showed up with a bunch of roses or tried to serenade her, I'd mess it up," said Mel.

"I'll help you," said Louisa. "It's your play, all you have to do is direct me."

"Can I sing?" asked Mel. "I-I mean, my voice isn't the best, but maybe I can surprise her?"

"Yes, I'm no drama queen but I know that that's a brilliant idea," said Louisa, nodding. "Any other ideas?"

"You play the love interest," said Mel. "Wait, your girlfriend isn't the jealous type, is she?"

"No, you're good," said Louisa. "I'll probably tell her the truth, though, before we go in."

"Good idea," said Mel. "But for now, we practice!"

The play practice attracted a crowd, but Louisa tried her best to ignore it. It wouldn't do to get stage fright, and besides, it was for love. Upon the first completion, Jack Goldspur was actively weeping and applauding.

"We must fund the arts!" he declared as he walked into the town hall.

"Just last week, you were saying that plays are stupid and only for gay people," said Jill. "I distinctly remember throwing a shoe at your head." Louisa giggled at this mental imagery, even as her cheeks flamed from the amount of people around them.

"Well, I've changed my mind," said Jack, putting an arm around his sister's shoulders as the doors of the town hall closed behind them.

"Want to practice again?" asked Mel, grinning at the crowd she'd drawn. She looked truly in her element, her eyes shining.

"Uh... yeah, okay, sure," said Louisa. She could put her nerves aside for now. It was for love.

They practiced in the park for a few hours every day, and Thalia never noticed because she was always busy in her theatre, practicing her plays. Louisa found that her confidence grew with continued practice, and she even managed to remember her lines. Mel had a beautiful singing voice, too, rivalling Lisa's (though Louisa never told her girlfriend this, not wanting to make her too jealous). Even choked with emotion as the last song was, Mel sang beautifully, and swooned into a perfect corpse. The applause of the crowd, however, always brought her to her feet, where she grinned and bowed and waved. Gone were the silly accessories in this tragedy, and Louisa could finally see and appreciate Mel's crystal blue eyes. She had quite a pretty face, too.

"I think we're ready," said Mel after a few weeks of practice, sitting on a park bench as the crowd dispersed, many still drying their eyes with tissues and handkerchiefs.

"You think so?" asked Louisa.

"Yeah," said Mel, nodding. "You know all your lines, I know mine, we're ready to do the real thing now."

"Okay, you're the boss," said Louisa.

"I am, aren't I?" said Mel, grinning. "Wow, that's a new feeling."

"You're a good director," said Louisa. "And singer and actress. Thalia's blind not to see it."

"But she's the best, how can she be so blind?" asked Mel.

"Sometimes, when you're too close to something, you fail to see it," said Louisa. "Even the best of us can make that mistake."

"I guess," said Mel. "Maybe this will help her see me."

"Well, the entirety of Jarlaheim and half the Harvest Counties has seen you or at least heard about you, so at least you've got fame now," said Louisa.

Unbeknownst to them, Thalia had seen the performances. She'd first heard whispers of a great new performing duo while at the salon getting her hair perfectly curled, and it had piqued her curiosity. So, the next day, she'd donned a cloak and mask and sneaked out after Louisa and Mel had left. Perhaps it was the play practice that was drawing the crowds. But, as she'd stood at the back of the crowd, she'd quickly discovered that this wasn't her play. Someone else must have written it, perhaps some great playwright. Thalia had to have them in her theatre troupe. At the conclusion of the play, Thalia felt a tear running down her cheek. She wiped it away with gloved fingers. Why was this play affecting her so?

Thalia saw every performance in secret, and her heart was always captured by the pink-haired girl's beautiful singing and excellent acting of tragedy. But surely, that couldn't be...

"Thank you! You've been a wonderful audience!" the pink-haired woman called after every performance. And Thalia applauded before she darted back to her theatre. Her assistants couldn't know that she was seeing performances put on by another theatre troupe.

A few weeks later, though, Thalia had to do a double-take when she saw a new poster appear.

"Die For You, a new theatre production, by Melpomeni. Starring Louisa Mcburg and Melpomeni. Shows in the park every night at 7pm, with matinee performances on the weekends at noon. Come and experience true tragedy."

Thalia frowned at the poster, biting her lip. Then, she gasped. Wasn't Assistant Number 1's real name Melpomeni? Part of her wanted to ask her about it, but... if it really was her assistant putting on this play, she didn't want to ruin the performance by making her nervous.

So, on opening night, Thalia donned her cloak and mask and hid at the back of the crowd. Seeing the practice performances had been one thing, but the actual thing...

The costumes were beautiful, Louisa dazzling in a quite familiar midnight blue dress while Melpomeni at first wore her silly usual clothes before changing into a quite beautiful white dress. The entire crowd shrieked and gasped as a dagger flew from the crowd. The blood seemed so real, Melpomeni's anguish not acted at all. And, while Louisa tried to give a convincing and passionate speech about how she'd overlooked Mel all this time, Thalia threw off her cloak and ran, screaming, over to where Mel lay.

"Thalia?" Mel murmured, opening her eyes. "This wasn't in the script..."

"Shh, conserve your breath, just focus on breathing and living," said Thalia, tears dripping onto Mel's pale skin. "I'm so sorry I overlooked you all this time, I had no idea how talented you are. Please, please don't die."

"Thalia, it's okay, it's a prop," said Mel, removing the fake knife enough so that only Thalia could see. It was stuck to her dress with adhesive, but it would easily come off.

"Oh, you idiot, I was so worried," said Thalia, hugging her assistant tightly. 

"Sorry," said Mel. "Uh, can we finish the play?"

"Yes, not to worry, I watched every performance so I know the lines," said Thalia. Following the script, she clutched Mel close to her and howled her despair to the night air. She kissed her, and the kiss, at least, was real. Mel wrapped her arms around Thalia weakly, and sang a line about how sweet it was that life had granted her this one last wish. Then, she closed her eyes, and was still. Thalia gently lay Mel on the ground and stood, vowing vengeance on the awful person who had killed the brightest star she'd ever come across.

The crowd went wild, believing Thalia's interference to be what was supposed to happen. Gavin sighed as he stood at the back of the crowd, shaking his head as he stood with his arms folded in front of his chest. He'd been called when the fake knife had been thrown, and he expected that he'd be called again many times before the play finished.

"Thank you!" Mel cried as she stood up following the completion of the play. "We'll be here every night and at noon on the weekends! And if you haven't got your theatre fix from that, feel free to come on down to Thalia's in Alley 13 in Jarlaheim! It's the little door, you can't miss it!"

"Thank you for the promo," said Thalia, hugging Mel again. Mel unstuck the knife and kissed her, seeming to glow.

"Will I still be needed?" asked Louisa, fiddling with the folds of her ruffled blue dress.

"Yes, because I'm thinking of toning it down for the matinee performances," said Mel. "Don't wanna frighten the little ones. I'm thinking that the night one can be with Louisa as you but then a version of you comes flying in from the future, too late to save me but you tried to save me, but in the matinee, I work myself to death trying to please you. And don't worry, Louisa, not much will change. You just stand there awkwardly in the final act, like you did tonight." Louisa blushed, rubbing her arms.

"Good idea," said Thalia. "But how would you feel about performing with me?"

"That's all I've ever wanted," said Mel, tears in her eyes. Thalia smiled.

"Then I hereby promote you to co-actress and co-writer. Also co-director. Co-partner. And Melpomeni. Though, that sounds too formal. How about... Mel," said Thalia, and Mel grinned.

When Louisa showed up at the theatre the next day, she was greeted by a pair of women kissing on the stage. She knocked on the doorframe, blushing, and coughed.

"Oh! Sorry, I didn't hear you come in," said Mel, blushing, and made to move off the stage. But Thalia grabbed her.

"And where are you going?" asked Thalia, dragging her back.

"I'm making room for you and Louisa to practice," said Mel.

"No need," said Thalia. "I've written you into my next great masterpiece. It shall be a musical, like the old plays."

"Wow, I guess all you needed was a little muse, huh?" said Louisa.

"Yes," said Thalia, smiling fondly at her new girlfriend. "Thank you for opening my eyes, Louisa."

"And thanks for helping me get her," said Mel, wrapping her arm around her girlfriend. They kissed again.

"Anything for love," said Louisa, smiling at the pair.


	3. Silly Masks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lisa plays with the masks with her girlfriend.

After the grand performance in the park, Mel came back to her little costume shop on a new high. She had a girlfriend, she was going to be in more of Thalia's plays, and just the thrill of performing had done wonders for her confidence. Seeing the woman who had been hanging around her little shop all week only made her laugh in delight.

"Hey Lisa, ready to buy now?" asked Mel.

"Yep," said Lisa. "I want everything."

"Everything? Are you sure?" asked Mel.

"Does this look like the face of a woman who isn't sure?" asked Lisa, leaning in close to her. Mel laughed. "Nice gas mask, by the way."

"Thank you!" said Mel, touching her new accessory. "It looks cool and it helps me breathe easier in this smoggy alleyway."

"Maybe you should've set up shop in the park or by the fountain or something," said Lisa.

"Oh, it's fine, I'm closer to Thalia this way," said Mel. "And I didn't have enough money to afford a shop space in Jarlaheim. This alley was all I could afford. And it's good advertising for Thalia's theatre, if they're looking for it, they only need to find the glowing balloons."

"Good point," said Lisa, nodding while rubbing her chin. "Alright, bag up my items, please."

"Did you see your girlfriend in the play?" asked Mel while she bagged up Lisa's items.

"Yeah," said Lisa, grinning. "She was so good, which is surprising because she's really shy."

"I think she only did it for me," said Mel, smiling fondly at the memory. "And honestly, I'm really grateful that she did. That play really did help me to get Thalia's attention, and more than that, it helped us get the attention of a lot of Jorvik, so now Thalia has a bigger audience. Meaning that she has an audience..."

"Oh, an audience is the most important, and often hardest, thing for a performer to get," said Lisa.

"I find that hard to believe, coming from the great Lisa Peterson," said Mel.

"Well, believe it," said Lisa. "Even I struggled to get an audience at first. Me and my little school band put on performances for free. We were busking for a while there, and taking every gig we could get. But eventually, we managed to start building up some fame and reputation. And when I went solo, that fame stayed with me. It stayed with all of us. Brittany became a pop star, Kyomi became an excellent urban singer, and Kevin was her musician."

"And you became a famous rock star," said Mel. "I know that being an actress and playwright isn't anywhere near as cool, but it still feels so awesome." Her eyes sparkled, and Lisa finally noticed that Mel wasn't wearing her spiral glasses.

"No glasses today?" asked Lisa.

"Thalia said she likes to see my beautiful eyes," said Mel, blushing.

"Aww," Lisa cooed. "That's adorable."

"Heh, it feels good to finally be noticed," said Mel, putting the last of the things in the bag and handing it to Lisa. "There you go. Have fun with all of that."

"Oh, I will," said Lisa with a grin.

"Should I be blushing?" asked Mel.

"Yes," said Lisa. "You should." She left the alley, and Mel shook her head with a laugh, amused at the antics of the singer.

"Louisa is still in the theatre with Thalia," Mel called, and she laughed again when Lisa returned and went through the door into the theatre.

"It's still so weird how it's so quiet and the air is so fresh in here," said Lisa, standing in the cool air. "Also that we're in a freaking wall."

"I know, right? It's a literal hole in the wall," said Louisa from the stage. "Though I wonder what else is hidden within these walls..."

"I'm sure you could write a book about it, babe," said Lisa. "But not right now. Thalia, may I borrow my girlfriend for a few hours or the rest of the day?"

"Hmm, I was going to go over a few more acting lessons with her, but I suppose that I can give her a break," said Thalia. "And perhaps I should take a break and go on a date with my own wonderful girlfriend. Now that I have one. We may even find some inspiration for a new play."

"Well, Loke and Isolde's relationship is like Romeo and Juliet with chickens, so you could use them as inspiration," said Louisa. "Thanks for giving me a break, by the way."

"I have rescued my damsel in distress," said Lisa. "I shall whisk her away and have fun with these props."

"Have fun, you two," Thalia cooed, wiggling her fingers as she walked off the stage and out the door, grabbing her bag on the way out. Despite the stones muffling the room, they could still hear a squeal of delight outside.

"Hey, look at this," said Lisa, rummaging in her bag of goodies. She pulled out an eyepatch, and put it on. "Arr, I'm a pirate."

"Foxy is on his stage," said Louisa with a giggle.

"What?" asked Lisa, frowning in confusion.

"Five Nights at Freddies joke," said Louisa. "It's a game. I'd play it but I am a scaredy-cat."

"I'll find a Let's Play of it," said Lisa with a shrug. "That name is familiar, so it must be popular."

"Oh, it is," said Louisa.

"I spy a fine booty," said Lisa, still putting on the pirate accent. Louisa laughed, striking a sexy pose. Lisa grabbed her butt.

"I wonder what things you can make sexy," said Louisa. "Other than everything, of course."

"Sexy clown?" asked Lisa, removing the eyepatch and donning a clown nose. It fell off several times, so she had to hold it on.

"Everything but that, I guess," said Louisa. Lisa tossed the clown nose back into the bag. "Save that for Red Nose Day. Or Christmas. Or Halloween, I guess, if you wanna be a scary clown."

"Sexy piggy?" asked Lisa.

"No," said Louisa, snatching it off of her.

"Aww, I wanna be a piggy," said Lisa.

"Would your skin taste like bacon then?" asked Louisa.

"Then I'd eat myself," said Lisa. "That might be a bad idea."

"Not if I eat you first," said Louisa. She sounded so innocent, but it made Lisa blush bright red.

"Holy shit," said Lisa. "You're getting really good at that."

"I have a good teacher," said Louisa. "A sexy teacher."

"Y'know, I didn't originally buy these things for roleplay, but now I'm getting ideas," said Lisa. She bent down and rummaged through the bag, coming back up with swirly, fake x-ray glasses. "I can see beneath your clothes with these."

"Wouldn't x-ray mean that you can see my skeleton?" asked Louisa.

"You have a sexy skeleton," said Lisa, putting her hands on Louisa's hips. "Excellent bone structure." She kissed her girlfriend's neck, and Louisa sighed and fluttered her eyes closed. But then Lisa's hands moved beneath her jeans, and Louisa grabbed her girlfriend around the waist and kissed her lips quite fiercely.

"Maybe we should not do this on the stage where anyone could walk in," said Louisa when she broke the kiss to find them both with their hands down each other's pants.

"Aw, c'mon, I'm sure Mel and Thalia do it all the time," said Lisa.

"That's another reason not to," said Louisa, blushing. "I don't know about you, but having sex where someone else had sex is kind of a turn-off."

"Alright, we can just go to Herman's," said Lisa.

"As soon as I get another message from CHILL, I'm gonna wash those sheets within an inch of their life," said Louisa, blushing, but left the theatre with her girlfriend. Lisa took the glasses off as they want, so she could see better.

Once inside Herman's house, Louisa locked the door behind them and walked through to the bedroom, where she pulled her shirt off. They'd already taken their shoes off at the front door, it being one of Louisa's very few house rules.

When Lisa walked in, she was wearing one of the fake mustaches and not much else. She twirled it, but then it fell off, so she put it back on and didn't twirl it this time.

"Good day, madame," said Lisa in a fake haughty accent. "Could I interest you in some objects of pleasure?" She bent down, Louisa resisting the urge to grab her ass, and withdrew the bag of toys from under the bed.

"Hmm, I might have to try them out first," said Louisa, taking her jeans and panties off and sitting on the bed. She took her bra off too, and Lisa didn't resist the urge to give her breasts a squeeze. Louisa laughed, blushing.

"Here, let's try out something small to get you going first," said Lisa, taking a small vibrator out of the bag. She switched it on and pressed it to Louisa's clit, causing her girlfriend to moan.

"How's that?" asked Lisa.

"Really good," said Louisa. "I hope you're not expecting a review or anything."

"I understand," said Lisa. "When a lady is in the throes of pleasure, she can often find it difficult to vocalise more than screams and moans. Especially when I turn it up to maximum."

"Oh, god!" Louisa moaned as the vibrations suddenly increased.

"Let's try it with another toy," said Lisa. She picked a long object out of the bag, and Louisa felt it slip in easily from how wet the vibrator had made her.

"What is it?" asked Louisa, trying to gather her thoughts together despite the intense pleasure pulsing through her.

"Oh, just your favourite toy," said Lisa. 

"No it's not, I would've felt it as soon as it went in if it was," said Louisa.

"Alright, fine, your second favourite," said Lisa. "I left my wand at Elizabeth's."

"I left mine in my stable, so it's okay," said Louisa. Lisa removed the vibrator, but Louisa wasn't left hanging for long before the bunny dildo did what it was famous for and started slamming into her clit while Lisa fucked her with it.

"This one also features a 'vibrate' function," said Lisa. "Would you like to test it out?"

"Yes please," said Louisa, parting her legs further and moving her hips up. Lisa twisted the bottom of the bunny dildo, and Louisa suddenly felt the pleasure spike as the vibrations pulsed through her with more intensity. She arched her back, moaning loudly in pleasure, and Lisa forgot the salesman act as she continued to ram the dildo into her girlfriend's pussy.

"You like that, huh?" Lisa purred, leaning over her girlfriend and circling a nipple with her tongue. Louisa moaned, running her fingers through Lisa's hair, and pulled her up to kiss her lips. Lisa's tongue in her mouth made her moan, especially combined with the dildo still pulsing away inside her.

"Uh huh," Louisa moaned, moving her hips up. "It feels so good, don't stop."

"I won't stop until you tell me to," said Lisa. She reached down and twisted the vibrator up a few more notches, then returned to kissing her girlfriend, caressing a breast with one hand while still moving the vibrator inside her. Louisa bucked her hips and moaned, wrapping her legs around her girlfriend as she reached her orgasm.

"Ah, yes, yes, yes," Louisa murmured as she moved her hips up. She wrapped her arms around her girlfriend, kissing her, and Lisa switched the dildo off and pulled it out. She knew from experience that her girlfriend was done for now, and that she'd only end up hurting her if she continued.

"I'm going to take that as a rave review," Lisa murmured, putting the dildo to the side.

"You are an excellent saleswoman," said Louisa.

"My other idea was to fuck you with a peg leg as a pirate," said Lisa.

"If the peg leg was your wand, I won't mind that at all," said Louisa. "Next time, though."

"Unless you want to be the pirate?" asked Lisa.

"Next time," said Louisa. Lisa kissed her.

"I'll take that as a promise," said Lisa.


End file.
